U.S. patent number 8,016,972 [Application Number 12/151,667] was granted by the patent office on 2011-09-13 for methods and apparatus for application of nested zero waste ear to traveling web.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Curt G. Joa, Inc.. Invention is credited to Robert E Andrews, Jeff W Fritz, Noel Horneck.
United States Patent |
8,016,972 |
Andrews , et al. |
September 13, 2011 |
Methods and apparatus for application of nested zero waste ear to
traveling web
Abstract
The present invention provides a process wherein a rotary knife
or die, with one or more cutting edges, turns against and in
coordination with a corresponding cylinder to create preferably
trapezoidal ears. Ear material is slit into two lanes, one for a
left side of a diaper and the other for a right side of a diaper.
Fastening tapes are applied to both the right and the left ear
webs. The ear material is then die cut with a nested pattern on a
synchronized vacuum anvil. The resulting discrete ear pieces
however, due to the trapezoidal pattern of the ears, alternate
between a correct orientation and an incorrect (reversed)
orientation. The reversed ear is required to be rotated 180.degree.
into the correct orientation such that the ears and associated tape
present a left ear and a right ear on the diaper.
Inventors: |
Andrews; Robert E (Sheboygan,
WI), Fritz; Jeff W (Plymouth, WI), Horneck; Noel
(Glenbeulah, WI) |
Assignee: |
Curt G. Joa, Inc. (Sheboygan
Falls, WI)
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Family
ID: |
39791221 |
Appl.
No.: |
12/151,667 |
Filed: |
May 8, 2008 |
Prior Publication Data
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Document
Identifier |
Publication Date |
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US 20080276439 A1 |
Nov 13, 2008 |
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Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
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60928305 |
May 9, 2007 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
156/265; 156/256;
156/263; 156/250; 156/264; 156/259; 156/252 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A61F
13/15756 (20130101); A61F 13/15577 (20130101); A61F
13/15699 (20130101); B65H 39/14 (20130101); B65H
2301/33216 (20130101); Y10T 156/1067 (20150115); Y10T
156/1074 (20150115); Y10T 156/1052 (20150115); B65H
2406/3452 (20130101); Y10T 156/1077 (20150115); Y10T
156/1056 (20150115); Y10T 29/49826 (20150115); Y10T
156/1075 (20150115); B65H 2801/57 (20130101); Y10T
156/1062 (20150115) |
Current International
Class: |
B32B
38/04 (20060101); B32B 38/18 (20060101) |
Field of
Search: |
;156/250,252,256,259,263-265 |
References Cited
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Other References
Reciprocating Mechanism, Ingenious Mechanisms for Designers and
Inventors, Franklin Jones vol. 1, date unknown, 2 pages. cited by
other.
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Primary Examiner: Osele; Mark A
Assistant Examiner: Caillouet; Christopher C
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Ryan Kromholz & Manion,
S.C.
Parent Case Text
RELATED APPLICATION
This application claims the benefit of provisional patent
application Ser. No. 60/928,305 filed 9 May 2007.
Claims
We claim:
1. A method of securing an ear to a chassis web, the method
comprising: creating a first left ear from a first infeeding ear
web being fed at an infeed speed, the first ear in a left correct
facing orientation; creating a second left ear from the first
infeeding ear web, the second ear in a reversed orientation
relative to the left correct orientation; creating a first right
ear from a second infeeding ear web being fed at the infeed speed,
the first right ear in a reversed orientation relative to a right
correct orientation; creating a second right ear from the second
infeeding ear web, the second right ear in the right correct facing
orientation; reorienting the second left ear into the left correct
facing orientation; reorienting the first right ear into the right
correct facing orientation; repitching the ears from the infeed
speed at a pickup point to a deposition speed at respective left
and right deposition points aligned in the machine direction;
coupling the first left ear and the first right ear onto an
infeeding chassis web to create a first chassis and ear assembly at
said left and right deposition points aligned in the machine
direction at a first position upon the chassis web; coupling the
second left ear and the second right ear onto the infeeding chassis
web to create a second chassis and ear assembly at said left and
right deposition points aligned in the machine direction at a
second position upon the chassis web.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein said first ear is a trapezoidal
shape.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein said first ear has at least one
curved edge.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein said first and said second ears
are symmetrical.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to disposable hygiene products and
more specifically, to methods and apparatuses for processing
disposable hygiene products. More specifically, the invention
relates to cutting and applying segments of one web to attach to a
disposable diaper.
The invention disclosed herein also relates to apparatus and
methods for waste reduction. Generally, diapers comprise an
absorbent insert or patch and a chassis, which, when the diaper is
worn, supports the insert proximate a wearer's body. Additionally,
diapers may include other various patches, such as tape tab
patches, reusable fasteners and the like. The raw materials used in
forming a representative insert are typically cellulose pulp,
tissue paper, poly, nonwoven web, acquisition, and elastic,
although application specific materials are sometimes utilized.
Usually, most of the insert raw materials are provided in roll
form, and unwound and applied in assembly line fashion. As in many
manufacturing operations, waste minimization is a goal in web
processing applications, as products having spliced raw materials
cannot be sold to consumers. Indeed, due to the rate at which web
processing machines run, even minimal waste can cause
inefficiencies of scale.
In present systems, waste materials are recycled. However, the act
of harvesting recyclable materials from defective product is
intensive. That is, recyclable materials are harvested only after
an identification of a reject product at or near the end of a
process. The result is that recyclable materials are comingled, and
harvesting requires the extra step of separating waste components.
Therefore, it is beneficial to use up all of incoming rolls, so
that a portion of the incoming rolls do not become waste. That
objective is accomplished with the present invention
When manufacturing hygiene products, such as baby diapers, adult
diapers, disposable undergarments, incontinence devices, sanitary
napkins and the like, a common method of applying discrete pieces
of one web to another is by use of a slip-and-cut applicator. A
slip-and-cut applicator is typically comprised of a cylindrical
rotating vacuum anvil, a rotating knife roll, and a transfer
device. In typical applications, an incoming web is fed at a
relatively low speed along the vacuum face of the rotating anvil,
which is moving at a relatively higher surface speed and upon which
the incoming web is allowed to "slip". A knife-edge, mounted on the
rotating knife roll, cuts a off a segment of the incoming web
against the anvil face. This knife-edge is preferably moving at a
surface velocity similar to that of the anvil's surface. Once cut,
the web segment is held by vacuum drawn through holes on the
anvil's face as it is carried at the anvil's speed downstream to
the transfer point where the web segment is transferred to the
traveling web.
Continual improvements and competitive pressures have incrementally
increased the operational speeds of disposable diaper converters.
As speeds increased, the mechanical integrity and operational
capabilities of the applicators had to be improved accordingly.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention allows for square, and non-square, and
preferably trapezoidal, ear webs to be applied to a traveling web,
with zero or minimized waste present in the incoming ear web. Zero
material is wasted due to the geometry of the chosen ear pattern
and its downstream processing.
An ear is a component of a diaper that is grasped and pulled around
the waist of a wearer. Typically, ears are secured to the diaper at
a first end, and a second free end is typically equipped with
securing means, such as a pressure sensitive adhesive, or hook and
loop material. As a user grasps an ear and pulls the ear,
elasticity provided about the waist region of the diaper allows the
free end to be snugly pulled about the waist of a wearer, and
coupled to the diaper. Ears can be rectangular or made of irregular
shapes.
The present invention provides a process wherein a rotary knife or
die, with one or more cutting edges, turns against and in
coordination with a corresponding cylinder to create preferably
trapezoidal ears. Ear material is slit into two lanes, one for a
left side of a diaper and the other for a right side of a diaper.
Fastening tapes are applied to both the right and the left ear
webs. The ear material is then die cut with a nested pattern on a
synchronized vacuum anvil.
The resulting discrete ear pieces however, due to the trapezoidal
pattern of the ears, alternate between a correct orientation and an
incorrect (reversed) orientation. The reversed ear is required to
be rotated 180.degree. into the correct orientation such that the
ears and associated tape present a left ear and a right ear on the
diaper.
To accomplish the reversal of the ear pattern, discrete ear pieces
are picked up at the nested ear pitch by an ear turner assembly
that will expand to a pitch large enough for ears to be unnested
and allow clearance for every other ear to be rotated. The rotated
ears are then unnested and into the correct orientation.
Two ear turner assemblies can be provided, to rotate every other
ear applied to the right side of the product, and every other ear
applied to the left side of the product. In this manner, for a
single product, one of the two ears will have been rotated
180.degree..
Ear application to a chassis web can be by a bump method (described
later) with intermittent adhesive applied to the chassis web, or
can be by vacuum transfer.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic side view of a Prior Art process;
FIG. 2 is a top view of a disposable diaper product carrying a pair
of ears;
FIG. 3 is a top view of an ear forming web including an individual
ear detached from the web;
FIG. 4 is a front view of an anvil roll carrying two ear webs;
FIG. 5 is a schematic view of a nested zero waste back ear
applicator device and methods of the present invention;
FIG. 6 shows an alternate ear pattern and alternate ear sizes;
FIGS. 7A, 7B, 7C, 7D, 7E, and 7F are top views of ear webs, FIG. 7A
showing non-rotated alternating die cut ear webs, and FIG. 7B
showing alternating rotated die cut ear webs, and FIGS. 7C, 7D, 7E,
and 7F showing alternate ear configurations;
FIG. 8 is a perspective schematic view of the nested zero waste
back ear applicator device and methods of the present
invention;
FIG. 9 is a side view of an ear turner assembly device used to
rotate alternating ears;
FIG. 10a is front view of the ear turner assembly device used to
rotate alternating ears;
FIG. 10b is front view of the ear turner assembly device used to
rotate alternating ears, showing an alternate embodiment of a puck,
configured to match in shape and size alternate ear design;
FIG. 11 is a perspective view of two ear turner assembly devices
used to rotate alternating ears on a left and a right ear web;
FIG. 12 is a side view of an ear turner assembly device used to
rotate alternating ears;
FIG. 13 is a front view two ear turner assembly devices used to
rotate alternating ears on a left and a right ear web;
FIG. 14 is a side view of an ear turner assembly device used to
rotate alternating ears;
FIG. 15 is a sectional view of the ear turner assembly device used
to rotate alternating ears shown in FIG. 10;
FIG. 16 is a front view of an anvil, ultrasonic bonding ring, and
vacuum pattern used for pitch changing ears from a slower web and
applying and bonding the ears to a faster moving chassis web;
FIG. 17 is a schematic view of the nested zero waste back ear
applicator device and methods of the present invention, shown with
an alternate embodiment of a means for applying the ear to the
chassis web.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Although the disclosure hereof is detailed and exact to enable
those skilled in the art to practice the invention, the physical
embodiments herein disclosed merely exemplify the invention which
may be embodied in other specific structures. While the preferred
embodiment has been described, the details may be changed without
departing from the invention, which is defined by the claims.
Referring to the drawings there is seen in FIG. 1 a diagrammatic
illustration of a prior art process for applying tabs to webs in a
diaper making process, to result in an intermediate product shown
in FIG. 2. The present invention can use this prior art method of
affixing the segments 12 to the web 10, with a different anvil, the
new anvil 114 described below. Web 10 is a composite material used
in formation of diapers which is generally formed of various layers
of material such as plastic back sheets, absorbent pads and
nonwoven topsheets. A series of ears 12 are applied to web 10. In
the illustrated process of FIG. 1, a rotatable vacuum anvil 14 is
used to supply the ears 12 to web 10. Anvil 14 has internally
reduced air pressure or vacuum (not shown), and a plurality of
openings 24 are provided through its surface to enable suction of
the tab segments 12 against the anvil surface 14. A web of the ear
tab forming material 16 is fed by rollers 20 and 22 against the
anvil surface 14 where it is cut into segments by a rotary knife
18.
The surface of the anvil roll 14 can have vacuum holes 24 on its
smooth surface. In a typical configuration of a slip-and-cut
applicator, there is a pattern of vacuum holes 24 distributed to
evenly draw the entering web onto the surface of anvil 14 and
thence into the cut point where the knife edge 18 engages the anvil
14.
It can be seen from FIG. 1 that in the prior art, the infeed of the
ear tab forming material 16 can be at a first speed (with
individual ears 12 spaced together), after which the individual
ears gain speed to the speed of the anvil 14. Typical infeed speeds
could be 120 mm/product for the infeed, while anvil speeds could be
450 mm/product on the anvil. This transition from the slower first
speed to the quicker second speed takes place at the cut point, the
ear tab forming material 16 slipping on the anvil 14 until cut.
However, immediately at the transition cut point 18 from the slower
speed to the faster speed, it is desired to place vacuum on the
ears because centrifugal force would try to throw the ears off of
the vacuum anvil 14.
Ear webs 16 can be comprised of two portions, 12a and 12b, as shown
in FIG. 2. Segment 12a is more specifically referred to as the tab
section of the ear 12, segment 12b is the ribbon section of the ear
12.
Alternatively, the ears can comprise a trapezoidal shape, as shown
in FIGS. 6, 7A and 7B, which will be described later. The
trapezoidal shape of FIGS. 7A and 7B is particularly advantageous
for zero waste applications, where it is desired to reduce or
eliminate the scrapping of raw material. In another zero waste
technique, two parallel series of alternating ear webs 16 with
ribbon sections of the ear 12 could be created by mirroring the web
16 as shown in FIG. 3 and placing the mirrored web down one/half of
an ear length (not shown).
Referring now to FIG. 4, a front view of an anvil roll 114 is shown
carrying ear forming material 16 (and later, an ear 12) in phantom.
The anvil roll 114 is preferably formed with two vacuum portions
116 separated by a center groove portion 118. The vacuum portions
116 are preferably mirror images of each other. The anvil roll 114
is symmetrical about a center plane through its circumference. Each
vacuum portion 116 contains several circumferential rows of
circular vacuum holes 24. Each vacuum portion 116 may also contain
a circumferential groove 120 with an additional circumferential row
of vacuum holes 24 located in the circumferential groove 120.
Still referring to FIG. 4, two diametrically opposed anvil pockets
122 and two diametrically opposed pairs of ear retaining portions
124 are shown. The ear retaining portions can be created as
inserts, with different vacuum patterns applied as the user deems
necessary. Each anvil pocket 122 is a groove which extends across
the face of the entire anvil roll 114. One ear retaining portion
124 is located on each of the vacuum portions 116. Each ear
retaining portion 124 has an ear vacuum hole pattern 126 made of a
plurality of vacuum holes 24 located at or near the surface of the
anvil roll 144. A plurality of rows of vacuum holes 24 can be
employed, each row having a plurality of vacuum holes 24, although
more or less than those configurations or patterns shown can be
used.
Referring now to FIG. 5, a schematic view of a nested zero waste
ear applicator device and methods of the present invention are
shown. Components of this ear applicator include a web slitter 210,
which processes incoming ear web material 16 into two parallel
paths (not shown from this view). After being slit, ear web
material is processed by tape applicator 220, which can add tape to
the ears for securing the ears 12 about the waist of a wearer.
After slitting and application of the tape to the ear web 16, an
ear die is used to cut the ear web 16 into the pattern shown in
FIG. 7A. The ear material 16 is die cut with a nested pattern on a
synchronized vacuum anvil/die combination 230/232.
Referring still to FIG. 5, the cutting edges of the ear dies 230
turn against and in coordination with a corresponding anvil 232 to
create preferably trapezoidal ears. It is noted that as shown in
FIG. 6, ears 12 having different heights, H1 and H2, can be
produced in this configuration by speeding up or slowing down the
infeed rate of material 16 into the anvil/die combination 230/232.
In this manner, more or less slip is allowed on material 16 prior
to cutting, resulting in longer or shorter ears.
Because the ear material 16 has already been slit into two lanes,
one for a left side of a diaper and the other for a right side of a
diaper, it is noted that two parallel ear dies 230 are used to
produce the pattern shown in FIG. 7A to the slit web 16.
The resulting discrete ear pieces however, due to the trapezoidal
pattern of the ears shown in FIG. 7A, alternate between a correct
orientation A and an incorrect (reversed) orientation B. The
reversed ears B are required to be rotated 180.degree. into the
correct orientation A such that the ears and associated tape
present a left ear and a right ear on the diaper, such as that
shown on FIG. 7B. In correct orientation A, such as shown in FIG.
7B, the shorter of the parallel edges of the trapezoid will face
toward an outside, left for the left side, and right for the right
side. This geometry is desirable to accommodate the legs of the
wearer when the ears 12 are pulled about the waist of the
wearer.
To accomplish the reversal of the ear pattern, discrete ear pieces
are picked up at the nested ear pitch by an ear turner assembly 200
(see FIGS. 5 and 8) that has a series of pucks 234 that travel
radially from a minimal radius R1 to a maximal radius R2 at a
depositional site. The difference between R1 and R2 is such that
individual pucks 235 can be unnested and allow clearance for every
other ear to be rotated, as will be described later in relation to
FIGS. 10a and 10b. The rotated ears are then unnested and into the
correct orientation.
Referring to FIG. 7A, all of the "B" labeled ears 12 on supply 16A
will be rotated 180.degree. into an A position. All of the "B"
labeled ears 12 on supply 16B will be rotated 180.degree. into an A
orientation position.
It is noted that ear configurations can vary as shown in FIGS.
7C-7F. In FIGS. 7C and 7D, wavy or curved ear patterns are shown.
In FIG. 7E, a square pattern is shown. In FIG. 7F, a trapezoidal
pattern is shown. Chips may be cut out in any shape of ear
patterns, such as such in FIG. 7F. The chips can be of any shape or
size, and can be positioned either on edges of the ears or on the
interior of the ears.
Referring now back to FIG. 5, following rotation of every "B"
labeled ear 12, each ear is deposited onto vacuum drum 240, rotated
and picked up by high vacuum drum 250. Because the ears 12 need to
be sped up to match the speed of chassis web 10, the rotation of
high vacuum drum 250 is quicker than that of vacuum drum 240. The
higher vacuum in drum 250 relative to drum 240 allows the ears 12
to be snatched or grabbed at the higher rotational speed present in
drum 250.
Referring now to FIG. 8, a perspective schematic view of the nested
zero waste back ear applicator device and methods of the present
invention is shown. As can be seen, two ear turner assemblies 200R
(right) and 200L (left) are provided, to rotate every other ear 12
applied to the right side of the chassis web 10, and every other
ear 12 applied to the left side of the chassis web 10. In this
manner, for a single product, one of the two ears will have been
rotated 180.degree..
As can be seen from FIG. 8, two types of pucks are provided,
non-rotating pucks 234A and rotating pucks 234B. The non-rotating
pucks 234A carry the "A" ears shown in FIG. 7A, or the ones that do
not require rotation. The rotating pucks 234B carry the "B" ears
shown in FIG. 7A. As the ear turner assemblies 200R and 200L go
through their rotation, ears 12 are picked up from the ear
die/anvil station 230/232 and rotate about the rotator 200, while
every rotating puck 234B also rotates radially during rotation of
the rotator 200, as will be described later.
The ears 12 are then deposited onto chassis web 10 and bonded
thereto, for instance by ultrasonic bonding ring 252, where the
resulting product is sent downstream for further processing.
Referring now to FIG. 9 a side view of the ear turner assembly
device 200 is shown. The ear turner assembly device 200 used to
rotate alternating ears, again with the entire device 200, rotating
about a central axis, and each puck 234 traveling radially from a
minimal radius R1 to a maximal radius R2 at a depositional site
during rotation, and then back to the minimal radius R1. The
difference between R1 and R2 is such that individual pucks 235 can
be unnested and allow clearance for every other ear to be rotated.
Comparing the During rotation from the R1 to the R2 position,
rotating pucks 234B undergo not only the increase in radius, but
also undergo 180.degree. rotation about an axis perpendicular to
the central axis. This can be performed preferably with a screw
operation (FIG. 12). During rotation from the R2 position back to
the R1 position, the rotating pucks 234B rotate back through their
180.degree. rotation to get to their initial position.
Referring now to FIG. 10a, a front view of the ear turner assembly
device 200 used to rotate alternating ears is shown. As can be
seen, the pucks 234 are each equipped with vacuum voids 236 through
which a vacuum is pulled, retaining ears on the rotator device 200
through their rotation until deposition. As can be seen, the pucks
234 are trapezoidal in shape to roughly match the shape of the ears
12. It is also seen from this view that the non-rotating pucks 234A
remain in their position relative to the rotating pucks 234B, which
rotate from their initial position nested between two non-rotating
pucks 234A, and back.
Referring now to FIG. 10B, an alternate shape of the pucks 234 is
shown. In FIG. 10A, the pucks 234 are configured to receive wavy
shaped ears as described earlier. In FIG. 10B, the pucks 234 are
configured to receive trapezoidal shaped ears as described earlier.
It is preferable to configure the pucks 234 to match the desired
ear pattern.
Referring now to FIG. 11, a perspective view of the two ear turner
assembly devices 200R and 200L are shown. Also shown are vacuum
manifolds used to apply the vacuum to the pucks 234. In this sense,
the rotation of the pucks 234 is described in currently pending
U.S. application Ser. No. 11/244,387, which is incorporated herein
by reference. A front view of this configuration is shown in FIG.
13 and a side view in FIG. 14.
Referring now to FIG. 12 a mechanism for rotating pucks 234b is
shown. There, it is seen that screws 236 are provided such that
movement of the pucks 234B away from the center axis simultaneously
causes rotation of puck 234B. A radially traveling coupling 238
couples the puck with the screw 236, and when the threads of the
screw are engaged with the radially traveling coupling 238,
rotation is caused.
FIG. 15 is a cross-sectional view of the ear turner assembly device
200 used to rotate alternating ears along the line shown in FIG.
12. Particularly, screws 236 are operably coupled with pucks or
rotator assemblies 234. By rotation of the screw 236, pucks 234 are
moved along a radial line in relation to shaft turner 246. Vacuum
manifold 244 is provided to commute vacuum to the pucks 234 and
ultimately to hold the ears 12 in place. Ear turner cam 242 is
provided for rotative purposes.
Referring now to FIG. 16, a front view of a rotatable vacuum wheel
114, ultrasonic bonding ring 252, and vacuum pattern 124 used for
pitch changing ears from a slower web and applying and bonding the
ears 12 sandwiched between roller 260 and the anvil 114 to a faster
moving chassis web is shown.
In this embodiment, the aggressive vacuum pattern 124 on high
vacuum drum 250 will have withdrawn ears 12 from vacuum drum 240.
This step follows the rotation of the "B" ears as described above.
The chassis web 10 is fed in between the roller 260 and the high
vacuum drum 250. The ultrasonic bonding ring 252 couples the ears
12 with the chassis web 10 (refer to FIG. 5).
Referring now to FIG. 17, a schematic view of the nested zero waste
back ear applicator device 200 an alternate embodiment of a means
for applying the ear 12 to the chassis web 10 is shown. Instead of
the vacuum porting system as previously described, a protuberance
carrying rotatable body 274 is urged against the chassis web 10, as
disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,475,325, which is incorporated herein
as if fully set forth. The disclosure of U.S. Pat. No. 6,475,325 is
referred to as the "bump transfer" method. In this embodiment
intermittent adhesive is applied to the chassis web 10 at station
270. The intermittent adhesive is applied at intervals to make
contact with ears 12 carried by rotating body 200. The protuberance
carried by body 274 urges the chassis web 10 towards an ear 12
carried by a puck 234. With the ear 12 coupled with the chassis
web, the coupled material is processed by final bonding station
272, after which the ear/chassis combination is sent downstream for
further processing as desired.
The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles
of the invention. Furthermore, since numerous modifications and
changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not
desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and
operation shown and described. While the preferred embodiment has
been described, the details may be changed without departing from
the invention, which is defined by the claims.
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